Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-08-04

pieces of pickle, or with boiled .vege-
| tables. Although they give meal
| three times day, the guam
tity is SO small that the prisoners
become as thin as skeletons. There
is an arrangement made which is sup
posed to be for the benefit of the pris-
oners. The friends of the prisoners
| are permitted to send a quarter of a
pound of meat once day, but several
absurd formalities must be gone
| through with before prisoner can get
| this meat. Generally the meat is sent
! away if one makes very slight error,
such as failing to mention the particular
prisoners name, or his place of resi-
dence, or the date of his arrest. The
most of the prisoners have no means of
communicating with their friends.
When they are arrested the Govern
ment spy or police tell them they need
not bring any money with them, as
they will be sent back to their homes
in few minutes. When they go to
the prison they are kept there six
months at least. During this time, if
they have any money to pay postage,
they are permitted to send their letters,
but if they have no money no letter
can be sent at public expense. They
are never permitted to see their friends
until the judge of secret examina-
ton makes up his mind to send pris-
oner to the court of public trial.
1.-The secret examination lasts one
year, and sometimes three. Even
when the judge of secret examination
decides to send the case to a public
trial the prisoner can not write to his
friends unless he has money. So, In
many cases, he can not obtain the help
of lawyer. Thus it is farce to say
that the Japanese Government gives a
fair chance to prisoners to defend
themselves before the court of justice.
The prisoners are deprived of means of
obtaining legal advice. When they are
permitted to see their lawyers they
have to see them in the presence of
two officials, sitting between them.
The prisoner is not permitted to speak
to his lawyer in a confidential manner.
"As to the clothing of the
prisoners, the regulations are most
cruel. Even in severe winter the pris-
ers or socks, and are compelled to walk
in naked feet, with thin straw sandals.
Prison clothing is lent to those who
come to the prison during summer. and
who have no means to communicate
with their friends to have them send
them clothing for winter. But it is a
thin gown, made of cotton, and each
prisoner is given only one. Three of
these gowns are not enough to protect
the wearer from cold. There being no
heating arrangements, the prison is
simply freezing. The poor prisoners
are in a most miserable condition dur
ing the winter. 1t is but natural that
prisoners who have a supply of cloth
ing should take pity on their less fortu-
nate fellows and give or lend them
clothing. But if they do they are Sc
vcrely punished, as it is against the
regulations of the prison for prisoners
to lend their property to one another.
Two blankets are supplied to each
prisoner for use as bed-clothing, but
during the daytime they can not be
used in any way to keep the prisoners
warm. The prisoners are compelled to
sit on mats, but if they place the blan-
kets on the mats and sit upon them,
they are punished and the blankets
taken from them. They are not per-
mitted to write or do any thing to pass
away the time. No writing material is
allowed in a cage. If piece of pencil
is found on the person of prisoner he
is severely punished. Whenever per-
mission to write letter is given pris-
oner, he is taken out of his cage to a
room, where he is allowed the use of
paper and ink. Books used to be sup
piled, but they are no longer allowed.
But the books, even when they were
supplied, were the books on the Chinese
morality, such as the Book of Con-
fucius, and were scarcely interesting to
any reader. Histories, scientific or
philosophical works were not allowed.
1t is scarcely possible to keep prisoners
from attempting to do something to
pass away the time. Some try to make
network from the paper allowed them
for writing letters, but as soon as they
are found out the paper is taken away
and the prisoners are punished.
1.-The punishment is what is called
shokubatsu, or the punishment of food.
The food of prisoners is generally re-
duced to one-third, and the term of
punishment lasts from one to two weeks
Food Is given in small quantity ordi-
narily, but hen a man is subjected to
this punishment it is simply starvation.
If it lasts three days the prisoner can
scarcely walk. Thus, when prisoner
is to be punished for more than a week
it is impossible to carry out the sem
tence without starving him to death.
So, in case of one weeks punishment,
the ordinary quantity of food is given
one daY during the week and the NM